3

Gore circled his opponent with a sneer showing off his teeth, he hadn't even bother shifting into his wolf because he wanted to show everyone just how strong he was and why the Fates choose him to be Alpha.

He wanted to show them that he will always be the Alpha.

The man in his wolf form charged at Gore. But the Alpha easily grabbed him by the throat, then punched him in the head.

The black wolf fell limp to the ground moments after.

Gore looked around to see if anyone else was foolish enough to step up against him again.

"I am the Alpha of this pack. The next person that dares to challenge me will not make it out alive. I won't hesitate to rip you apart!" Gore roared.

Nobody met Gore's eyes. They held their heads low, avoiding his stormy gaze.

Smoothing his hair back from his face, Gore held his head high, then strode off for his home.

"That was the third challenge this week," his father said, the second Gore entered the house.

It was like George was waiting for him, just standing there at the door to start with his nagging.

"Don't you think I know that, father?!" Gore was still angry from the challenge, and with the state he was in, he was sure that this time he would kill his father.

Gore growled, because the pressure was on now more than ever. The young wolves were challenging him more and more.

"You must find a mate now!" George yelled.

Gore glared at his father. Running his hand through his hair, he said. "Father, can we not do this now?"

George snarled, receiving a loud growl from Gore, which caused the walls to shake.

A servant that was in the living room hurried away, before things could get any worst.

Gore really didn't want to hear about mate this, and mate that. What he really need was to put an end to all those men who were trying to challenge him.

"Nix have agreed to become your mat--"

Gore growled out, silencing his father, "enough!"

Gore pushed open his office door, causing it to fall off the hinges. He sat down in his chair, holding his head in his hands.

He hated the fact that his father and the council had been pressuring him more and more every day.

First there was a pack of four wolves thinking they could take over because Gore was unmated. That it was enough to cause a rebellion amongst a few more males in his pack.

Just the other day, they tried to ambush him when he went for a walk. Then raised a false alarm to try to take him out again.

Gore growled out, then looked up at his father, along with the head of the council, as they entered his office.

"What now!?" Gore barked as the two men sat before him.

The head counsellor pulled out a thick book, then slammed it down on the desk.

"Don't you think that I have already read and reread that book a thousand times?" Gore snarled, then took out his own copy.

He knew that there will be a debate coming.

'Karina, get in here.' He sent a mind link to his sister/Beta.

In no time, Karina was in the office with Harlow in her hand.

"We can't allow a baby in here," Finn pointed at Harlow

Karina ignored him, walking over to stand behind her brother.

"I call this meeting to discuss the way of the wolf." Finn started.

Gore snorted at that. "Don't you mean me not finding my mate?"

Finn frowned at the Alpha but continue, "the issue of the Alpha not having a mate will be brought to front." Finn paused to look at who was making cooing sounds.

"As I was saying, Gore Solace, Alpha of the Grindavik pack, is yet to find a mate--" Finn paused the recorder again, when Harlow start blowing raspberries.

"Can you keep her quiet?" He frowned.

Harlow start laughing and clapping her hands.

"Alpha Gore Solace has yet to find his mate, which has become an issue, and has brought the pack under attack by other wolves, who are challenging him for the position." Finn rushed out.

Gore sighed, "all those wolves that have challenged me--"

Finn held up his hand, cutting Gore off.

"You do understand that you are failing at your duties," the old man said.

"Failing at my duties? I wasn't aware that I wasn't tending to the needs of my pack. I thought I made sure everyone was comfortable. Don't I listen to all their concerns and make sure to full fill my promises?" He leant forward, resting his hands on his desk.

"You know what I mean."

Gore blocked him out as he went on and on. He was thinking of what he will use to shoot back at the head counsellor.

"And what matter do you have to defend yourself?" Finn asked.

Gore grinned at Finn and his father. "Please turn to page one hundred and six."

Gore begun reading the text word for word.

"No Lore being is allowed to take a female or male, that is not his or her mate," Gore tried for a fake accent.

Finn held up his hand to stop Gore. "why are you reading that part?"

Gore sighed, "let me just give it to you then, as long as I'm Alpha and I can defend this pack without my mate, there should not be any problem."

Finn opened his mouth, but Gore gave him a look.

"I can not just take any man or woman as my mate. They have to be the one the fates made for me. My mate will have to be able to rule by my side and carry out duties where I can't."

Gore and Finn argued back and forth until Gore wore the older man down, "like I told my father, I am just twenty-one. I age slowly and won't be twenty-two until the next five years or so. And if I have to spend all eternity as Alpha without my mate, then I will. Not having my other half by my side doesn't make me less of a wolf."

Finn said his goodbyes, because it was clear that he could never win the argument. Gore had more points than he did.

Gore even threatened saying that he would call the fates if they kept pestering him about the issue.

"Now father, if you will excuse us. Karina and I have more important things to do." Gore strode out of his office, with Karina following closely behind.

~~~~

Gore and Karina walked through the town in their wolf form, in search of gnomes that have been causing trouble for some days now.

Gore's ears picked up on what sound like breaking glass.

"Down Orange street," Gore linked to Karina, "get to the other end of the street, I'll stay here to back them up.

Karina did as she was told.

Soon after, Gore had the two, three foot tall monsters locked in a cage.

"Maybe we should use them for training," Gore said, now in his human form.

He sneered at the gnomes as they bite on the iron bars, begging to be set free.

"The young wolves can really use some new training targets," Karina agreed.

A gnome start shaking his head, "no, no, please yes, no, we will tell you anything yes, all the things yes, give you anything yes, all things, yes, yes." One gnome went down on his knees.

"Like what?" Gore asked the gnome.

(Gnomes and fairies were the best to get information from, because they knew everything from being in all the different lores.)

"The Vampire King, the mad, mad one, bad mad one, yes. Not the good mad one, no. He is looking for someone, four someones that can help him rule the world, both in the human world and the Lore yes, yes."

The other gnome nod, "yes what he just said, yes."

Another one said, "he want the someones very badly, bad, bad badly."

"He got the future, yes he got the future, she told him, told him that darkness will rule, yes, no, yes."

Gore and Karina looked at each other in confusion.

"I think you should consult with our oracle." Karina said.

Gore nod in agreement.